Catholic Chapter Forms In S. Florida

An organization that takes up for Catholics who have been put down has started a chapter in South Florida.

The New York-based Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights opened the chapter to keep an eye out for Catholic-bashing.

``Basically, we want to be watchdogs,'' Catholic League president William Donohue said. ``We have a lot of Catholic supporters in South Florida, and we want to tap into them.''

The 200,000-member independent lay organization formed the South Florida chapter two weeks ago, appointing four officers and establishing an office in Boynton Beach.

Like the league's six other chapters nationwide, the local group hopes to defend the religious and civil rights of Catholics. It also aims to wipe out anti-Catholicism in Broward, Palm Beach and Dade counties.

``You just see people persecuted for reasons that are strictly religious,'' said June Zanetti, of North Miami Beach, executive director of the chapter.

Typically, the Catholic League combats bigotry and prejudice through boycotts, letter campaigns and litigation.

The league this spring boycotted Priest, a movie about the sexual activities of Catholic priests. Giving in to pressure from several groups, Miramax Films agreed to move the film's opening from Good Friday.

About the same time, Donohue slammed New Yorker magazine for a cover illustration of a crucified Easter Bunny dressed in a business suit.

League leaders have also taken exception to bus ads picturing pop star Madonna next to the madonna, the Virgin Mary.

But it was a newspaper advertisement that prompted the anti-defamation organization to set up shop here.

In February, league officials and religious groups criticized a four-page ad by a West Palm Beach pastor that attacked Catholics and portrayed the pope as satanic. The Sun-Sentinel, which ran the ad, apologized to anyone who might have been offended by it.

In response, local Catholics volunteered to form a chapter, and league officials went forward with the idea.

Monitoring the media for Catholic-bashing waill be a key responsibility.